Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 3 Tbsp finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 1/2 tsp finely grated ginger
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup + 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cold water
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• Chopped green onions, for garnish, optional

Directions

1. Add the chicken broth, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, onion, garlic and ginger to a small saucepan, then add salt and pepper to taste. Set it over the heat until it boils, and while that happens, whisk 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch with 1 1/2 Tbsp cold water in a small bowl until smooth. When the honey mixture is bubbling, whisk in the cornstarch slurry, lower the heat to medium-low, and stir constantly until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and put a lid on it so it stays warm.
2. Add vegetable oil to a large cast iron dutch oven until it is about 1 1/2-inches deep, then warm the oil to 350 degrees. While the oil heats, beat the eggs in a shallow dish until blended. In another shallow dish, whisk the remaining 1 cup cornstarch with the baking powder. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg, then move them into the cornstarch mixture and toss until they are coated all over.
3. Gently add 1/3 of the chicken to the hot oil and fry for 5 – 7 minutes, turning once, until golden. Lift the chicken out with a skimmer and set it on a paper towel lined cookie sheet so the extra oil can drain. Fry the rest of the chicken the same way, using two more batches.
4. Move the drained fried chicken into a bowl, then toss it with the warm sauce and sesame seeds. Serve warm over white or brown rice, with green onions on top if you like.